The past week went well, although I was very busy preparing four exams (two practice, two final) for Structured Programming. I'm so glad that's nearly over.
Spíritus Dómini replévit orbem terrárum, allelúia: et hoc quod cóntinet ómnia, sciéntiam habet vocis, allelúia, allelúia, allelúia.
Today at All Saints Ainslie the Choir was on for Evensong so our director Alasdair handled the music in the morning with our guest accompanist, Zac Hamilton-Russell. He sang Dering's Duo Seraphim with Zac's partner (whose name I now can't recall, sorry!) who has a lovely soprano voice! I stayed at the church all day reorganising our music, and because Alasdair and Zac had a recital until the late afternoon, I rehearsed and conducted the choir for Evensong. We sang Stainer's Hail, Gladdening Light as usual, as well as Phillip Moore's third service for the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis. For anthem, we sang Hurford's Litany to the Holy Spirit:
In the hour of my distress,
When temptations me oppress,
And when I my sins confess,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!
When I lie within my bed,
Sick in heart and sick in head,
And with doubts discomforted,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!
When the house doth sigh and weep,
And the world is drown'd in sleep,
Yet mine eyes the watch do keep,
Sweet Spirit, comfort me!
It was a bit stressful as I wasn't planning to direct our choir but I did okay I think.
Also, the sermon by Oliver Brewer-Lennon from St. Michael and All Saints was brilliant as usual. He's the only priest whose (usually quite brief!) homilies I actually seek out and listen to, sometimes multiple times. Because my partner was curious, I translated it into Korean.
Our concert Radiant Dawn got a nice review in the local Canberra paper City News. You can read it here.
Mostly the review recapitulates the programme, but I'm glad that we "sung with emotional intensity and joyful celebration."
I do agree with the one commenter though:
Incredibly disappointing to see the program notes were written with AI.
I do know how this happened (things were prepared very much at the last minute), but I don't think it's an excuse. I'll have a word with Coro next time we run a concert to make sure this doesn't happen again.